Within the farming industry, the production of forage in the form of large bales (e.g. 400 pounds to a ton or more) has become increasingly popular. The major advantage of the large bale is that it enables the farm producer to more expeditiously and easily bale forage products while substantially reducing labor requirements and potential spoilage due to inclement weather conditions. Unfortunately many farm tractors (especially the smaller and older farm tractors) are currently unfit to serve as bale carriers. This arises because conventional bale moving attachments are generally not universally adaptable to the various types and models of farm tractors. The over-all design, functional efficacy, stability, attachment costs and time of attaching it to a tractor also leave much to be desired in the traditional bale carrying attachments.
Conventional bale moving devices typically embody a number of mechanical limitations or drawbacks which generally restrict their utility to rather specific and limited adaptations. For example, the transport of large bales is often hazardous and especially when the transporting conditions approach or exceed the stability limitations of the transporting tractor. The bulk and weight of the lifted bale substantially alters and shifts the gravitational center. This problem becomes particularly acute when the bale transport is conducted upon uneven or steep terrain with an undersized tractor. An abrupt or casual shift in the bale weight may create a hazardous condition which may lead to tipping or up-ending of the transporting tractor. Such problems substantially increase the hazardous perils of bale transporting and especially when older modeled tractors are used as a transporting carrier.
Traditional bale moving attachments are typically limited in adaptation to a particular farm tractor type or model. The bale moving attachments are thus generally made so as to custom fit onto a specific tractor model. The attachments are also primarily targeted towards the newer or heavier modeled tractors typically equipped with powerful rear mount three-point hitch systems for directly mounting bale carrying attachments thereto. Front end bale carrying attachments are likewise generally targeted towards the larger tractor types and models equipped with front end loaders. This typically requires a farm producer to either remove a more powerful and costly tractor from other productive work, hire a jobber to move the bales or purchase another large farm tractor to serve as a bale carrier.
Crop production is highly labor intensive during harvest time. Farm producers must have the capability to timely and expeditiously harvest the crops. Weather conditions may abruptly change and spoil an unbaled crop. During harvests, a few harvesting hours can often spell the difference between a successful harvest or a spoiled crop. Inflationary costs and decreased profitability also necessitate that the farm producer curtail farm labor and equipment costs without compromising the producer's harvesting capacity. Attachments readily attachable to the farm equipment while also minimizing the capital expenses (e.g. tractor, equipment costs, etc.) could contribute towards a more efficient and profitable farm operation. A bale carrier attachment of adaptation to different types of farm tractors while also requiring a minimum amount of time and effort for its attachment would thus enhance efficiency and profitability. Further benefits to the farm producer would be realized if there were available a low cost bale moving attachment which could be effectively combined with an inexpensive and readily available power drive source (e.g. such as a farm hydraulic cylinder) to provide an inexpensive and effective primary or complementary power supply source for converting the older tractor models or types into a highly effective bale carrier. Additional advantages would also be realized if the bale carrying attachment could be universally utilized so as to convert conventional farm tractors into both a front and rear bale carrier.